under a glass as if they were expected to blossom，

这些迷人的海湾，仿佛期待它们绽放花朵

or as if to provide a clean cagefor invisible fish.

或是要为看不见的鱼儿提供一座净笼。

The names of seashore towns runout to sea，

海滨小镇的名字奔涌入海，

the names of cities cross the neighboring mountains

城市之名越过毗邻的山脉

— the printer here experiencing the same excitement

——这儿，印刷工体会着同样的亢奋

as when emotion too far exceed sits cause.

当情感也远远超越它的因由。

These peninsulas take the water between thumb and finger

这些半岛在拇指和其余手指间掬水

like women feeling for the smoothness of yard- goods.

宛如女人摩挲一匹匹光滑的织物。

Mapped waters are more quiet than the land is，

绘入地图的水域比陆地更安静，? lending the land their waves own conformation:

它们把自身波浪的构造借给陆地：? and Norways hare runs south in agitation，

挪威的野兔在惊惧中向南跑去，? profiles investigate the sea， where land is.

纵剖图测量着大海，那儿是陆地所在。? Are they assigned， or can the countries pick their colors?

国土可否自行选取色彩，还是听从分派？?-What suits the character or the native waters best.

哪种颜色最适合其性格，最适合当地的水域。? Topography displays no favorites; Norths as near as West.

地形学不会偏袒；北方和西方一样近。? More delicate than the historians are the map-makers colors.

比历史学家更精微的，是地图绘制者的色彩。